Crimson Solace
by Honest Hitchhiker
Summary: In a time of grief, Yuffie's sorrow is assuaged by an unlikely person. Yuffentine. Post-game. Disregards AC and DoC.


Tears streaked down her porcelain face, and she gave a shudder; it was a cold, bleak day in Wutai, and all of the natives wore dismal expressions, yet hers was the most dispirited.

With slight sniffles and sobs, she arose gently from her kneeling position beside the heavily adorned futon, yet quickly collapsed to her knees yet again. She wasn't ready to leave yet, and she wasn't sure if she would ever be ready. With stained red eyes, she looked to the man on the bed. Glory and pride were still reflected on his halcyon face, just as she would always remember him.

As the young woman continued weeping, a soft knock sounded on the thin door. She lifted her head slightly, and gave a hoarse, "Come in."

"Miss Yuffie." The acknowledgement drifted delicately into the somber room, and the woman addressed turned to face her visitor.

"Yes, Chekov?" Yuffie's words trembled as she spoke, and she mustered as much strength as she could to keep from crying.

"Miss Yuffie, I understand you still wish to mourn in private, yet we all think it would be best for you to come out, and allow others to console you in this time of grief. We're worried about you." The older woman looked to Yuffie sympathetically, stricken by the young woman's distraught appearance.

Yuffie nodded with downcast eyes, and stood up quietly. Her feeble steps were evident of both physical and emotional weakness, yet she managed to make her way to the front room of the ornate home, with the aid of Chekov.

The young ninja's stormy eyes widened at the sight of her former comrades in the room, each of them wearing commiserative expressions.

The recently married couple of Cloud and Tifa stood beside each other, both of their faces forlorn, showing compassion for their young friend. Even Barret and Cid, the rougher and more hardy characters of their team, conveyed concern for the young woman. Red XIII portrayed great sympathy for Yuffie, expressing his regard for the deceased. Even Reeve had arrived; despite his traitorous status during their rescue of the planet, he had proven himself to be a respectable man with care for the other members of Avalanche.

In the corner of the room, a tall figure cloaked in crimson stood alone; he was seemingly unaware of those surrounding him. His arms were crossed and his expression was blank; his emotions lay dormant beneath his outward appearance. It was Vincent, the tortured man who was a loner in nature, with bright, bloody eyes that reflected feelings of disloyalty and damnation.

Yuffie looked to all of the planet's brave saviors, her friends, and began to wail hysterically. Fresh tears began to flow wildly down her already stained cheeks, and she spoke, "Thank you for coming, it means so much," between choked sobs.

Tifa hurried to the young woman's side, hugging her tightly. "I'm so sorry, Yuffie, I'm so sorry," she whispered softly, the trembling ninja still in her arms. "I'm here for you, Yuffie, we're all here for you. We care so much about you, honey. We'll help you through this."

Yuffie's cries lessened as she was consoled by the brunette martial artist, and she soon regained her composure. "Thanks, everyone," she began meekly. "I've been a bit of a mess today, I'm sorry. I'm just so thankful to see you all, especially when I need you most." A slight smile ghosted over Yuffie's pink lips, though it was laced with melancholy.

"Don't apologize, girl," Cid spoke coarsely, though underlying warmth could be sensed. "Your old man just passed away, you shouldn't be carin' 'bout nobody but yourself." The pilot inhaled his cigarette thoughtfully, looking to Yuffie in a gracious manner.

"Thank you," said Yuffie in a hushed tone. "You're all so kind to me."

The group of comrades smiled responsively, sans Vincent, feeling that the young woman deserved their kindness. They were surprised at the maturity she showed; she had really grown from an energetic, wily child into a decorous young woman.

"Father's funeral is tomorrow," Yuffie began sullenly, her gray eyes retreating to the ground. "May I ask of your attendance?"

"Of course," was the unanimous reply, each of the warriors wishing to express their condolences for the young ninja's loss.

"Thank you," Yuffie replied appreciatively. "It means a lot to me." Tears began to well in her eyes yet again, which triggered another hug from Tifa.

"It's getting late," Tifa whispered gently. "Perhaps you should be heading to bed."

Yuffie nodded acceptingly, and with this acknowledgement, the planet's saviors disbanded for a night of slumber.

-

Bright stars were scattered among the ebony canvas of the night sky, the large moon shining as the brightest of all, its craters profound and detailed. The dark setting of the night was calm and peaceful; this was the type of moment the gunman felt most desirable. He sat placidly upon the sculpted figures of the Da Chao statue, lost in his private world of isolation.

His silent thoughts were disturbed by subdued footsteps upon the stone of the statue. A small, lithe figure emerged in the darkness of the night, and she placed her hand upon the cloaked man's shoulder.

"Hey, Vince," Yuffie spoke in a whispery tone, seating herself next to the man. "The sky looks amazing tonight, doesn't it?"

"Yes, Yuffie," Vincent answered softly, but his attention shifted from the night sky to the young woman beside him. "Are you okay?"

"Not particularly," Yuffie replied with a sardonic smirk. "It's just so hard to understand that he's gone. I mean, he was a ritualistic old bastard that demanded everything be done like tradition, but that's part of what made him who he was. He was my daddy, and I was his little princess. He was an amazing warrior and leader, and he had such devotion to Wutai. I respected him so much. He was a really good man, Vince, and it's so hard to believe that he's gone."

Yuffie leaned against Vincent slightly, and he realized that she was quietly crying. In an effort to relieve her sorrows, he placed his arm around her waist, and pulled the sobbing ninja against him.

"It will get better with time, Yuffie, I promise. I also know what it's like to lose a father, and I know how arduous it is to recover." He looked to the young woman, whose sobbing had ceased for the moment. Tenderly, he placed his hand upon her head, and ran his fingers through her chestnut locks. He whispered gently, "Everything will get better with time. You just have to remember to focus on the positive aspects of life."

Yuffie gave a slight giggle against the slender man. "Vincent Valentine, you're the last person I would have ever thought to hear that from."

Vincent gave a small smile beneath his shielding cape. "It's something you've taught me, Yuffie." Vincent's crimson eyes seemed to glow warmly as he looked to the young ninja.

"What? Honestly?" Receiving a nod of assurance, Yuffie continued. "But why? I always had the feeling that you thought of me as a pestering little brat. How could I have taught you anything?"

Vincent took a moment to look to the sky, and started, "I learn from everyone, and I take everybody's mannerisms into consideration. Perhaps this is from my training as a Turk, but it's proven to be invaluable throughout my life." The gunman paused for a moment, and Yuffie looked to him intensely, wonderment evident in her features. "You, Yuffie, are a very spirited individual; you're brave, curious, and scarcely in a bad mood. Yet when you are down, you manage to keep your optimistic outlook, and you're soon back to your vivacious self."

Yuffie smiled in a pleased manner, yet gave a shiver as the cool winds of the night graced her scantily clothed figure. Vincent noticed her discomfort, and without thought, he unlatched his crimson cape, and draped it over Yuffie's narrow shoulders. Yuffie looked to him with timid eyes, and said, "Thanks, Vince."

"It's no problem," Vincent responded humbly, looking to Yuffie. "I must thank you, though."

"Oh?" replied Yuffie inquisitively. "For what?"

"For teaching me to focus on the good in life. Your spirit has really helped me to overcome my past struggles, and I sincerely thank you for it." Vincent, without the security of his cape, was vulnerable; his emotions could be read more easily, and he could no longer recede into the safety of his cape.

Yuffie turned to the man, a smile playing daintily on her lips. "Thanks so much, Vincent. Your words really mean a lot to me. And hey, if I may ask," Yuffie looked to the lean man, and didn't receive opposition, "what made you come to Wutai today?"

"My friend was in a time of need. If I did not come, I would not have been able to forgive myself." Vincent's angular face was directed at the sky yet again, his previously latent emotions becoming clearer.

"You were worried about me." Yuffie's statement held a feeling of satisfaction, and she looked towards Vincent with pleasure.

"Yes," he answered succinctly, meeting the young woman's gaze. A silent moment passed, the two beings in perfect rapport. Vincent sensed drowsiness within Yuffie, and asked, "Do you wish to head back to your home?"

"Yeah," she responded. Vincent stood up swiftly, and helped Yuffie to her feet. Yuffie stood briefly beside the man, and on a whim, she kissed him sweetly. Vincent did not react; he didn't reciprocate, yet he didn't flinch back, either. He simply looked to her with a blank expression, to which she replied, "I'm sorry."

Vincent gave a slight shake of his head, his crimson eyes staring at the ground. "We should be going," he spoke without emotion, walking ahead of Yuffie on the path of the Da Chao statue. Yuffie followed behind him briskly, new tears obscuring her vision, and her mind in a panic.

Yuffie continued through the darkness blindly, Vincent's tattered cape billowing behind her. She had lost vision of where the gunman may have gone, and she decided to let him be. With anger and frustration towards herself, she ran to her small household, and into her cozy futon. Salty tears poured down her pale face, and she gave sputtering sobs, arousing the interest of her many cats.

"Oh, you guys," she cried, sniffling slightly. "I just ruined everything. Why do I have to be so impulsive? God… he's so amazing, and I just ruined absolutely everything." Yuffie looked to a feline, tears still flowing from her steely eyes. "But… what if there was nothing to ruin?" Yuffie sat up slowly, and gave a sob. "He was never interested in me. He was just being nice to me because my fucking dad died! I'm so stupid. God, I'm so stupid!" Yuffie continued to wail hysterically, clutching the cape of the raven-haired man tightly, the pain of the events that occurred that day weighing heavily upon her.

-

Vincent sat silently upon a futon in a hotel room, his mind uneasy with thoughts of what happened upon the statue. He would not be able to forgive himself for allowing such a young, innocent woman to develop feelings for him; Vincent Valentine, a monstrous man that could only bring about the destruction of Yuffie.

His mind was utterly opposed to the thought of being with Yuffie, yet his heart felt differently. The young woman possessed such optimism and liveliness, things he envied greatly. She was everything he lacked, and his heart ached for her companionship; he felt that she would complement and complete him. Though he also knew that she was too young, too pure, and too exalted for such a meager man as himself, and there would be no way the complexities of a relationship could work between them.

Turmoil continued within his mind, and the tranquility of slumber would fail to greet him that desolate night.

-

The sun shone brightly the next morning, seemingly unaware of the tumultuous events that had befallen two of the planet's saviors. The sky was a clear bright blue, and a few puffy white clouds meandered about lazily, vainly attempting to shield the rays of the sun. It was a beautiful day, yet not quite the dreary setting befitting a funeral.

Yuffie was eloquently dressed in a sable kimono, and her expression was grave; she looked as if she could become hysterical with the slightest of provocations. Attempting to remain as strong as she could, she made her way to the gravesite of her father.

She was among the first figures there, and she stood noiselessly beside the florid casket which held the body of the former lord of Wutai. The other townspeople allowed Yuffie her space beside the casket, for they were aware of how close their lord and his daughter had been. Yuffie looked to the serene face of her father; it was the same face that had raised her from a helpless newborn, to a rambunctious child, and eventually into a young woman filled with peace. The realization that this man would never again speak to her, offer his praise, his witticisms, or his embraces hit her hard. Tears again welled within her gray eyes, and as she covered her face with her callused hands, she felt familiar slender arms around her shoulders.

"Vincent," she whispered timidly, tears still streaming down her cheeks. She turned to face the lanky man, and accepted his embrace.

"I'm so sorry, Yuffie," Vincent spoke quietly, his face resting against the young woman's head. He held her securely, and had decided within that moment that he would not leave her. They remained beside each other throughout the funeral service, and with Vincent's compassion, she managed to stay relatively composed. She said her final goodbyes with tears reflecting fond memories and love; she knew she would not be the same after the loss of her father, yet she would still focus on the positive aspects of life, as Vincent had instructed her to.

The day ended calmly, and Yuffie seemed more collected, perhaps due to the closure she received from Godo's funeral. She and Vincent had a silent connection; he held her quietly as she gathered her thoughts and emotions. Towards the end of the dolorous day, Yuffie spoke softly, "I'm sorry if I'm imposing upon you."

Vincent shook his head gently, his deep red eyes meeting Yuffie's sternly. "I am here with you because I wish to be, Yuffie."

Yuffie's eyes fell to the ground slowly, her demeanor growing meeker. "I'm really sorry for last night, Vincent, I really shouldn't have tried to kiss you like that." The young ninja wore an expression of regret and embarrassment from mentioning the events of the previous night.

"No." Vincent's single word was soft yet severe, and its utterance caused Yuffie to lift her head slightly. Receiving the woman's puzzled gaze, he looked into her eyes with a visage of decisiveness, and kissed her gently.

Their lips met for the second time, and Yuffie was stupefied, yet she did not pull away. She savored the moment of Vincent's pale lips pressed against hers; it was absolutely euphoric.

When the kiss broke, Yuffie looked to Vincent with a dumbfounded look, her eyes wide, and reflecting childlike vulnerability. "Why, Vincent?" she whispered, holding the man's hand firmly.

"Yuffie," he began, giving a slight swallow, "I find you to be a very appealing woman, and I would appreciate it if you were to consider courtship with me…" Vincent's features showed great anxiety, and this fact made Yuffie feel apologetic for giggling.

"I'm sorry, Vince," she said between giggles. "It's just, you're such a gentleman! It's adorable." She gave the man a bright smile, which he returned in his own manner.

"So, is that a yes?" he asked demurely, his eyes meeting Yuffie's hesitantly.

Yuffie continued smiling, and hugged the gunman winsomely. "Of course," she whispered in a hushed tone, her embrace unwavering.


End file.
